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Licensed to Drill
Ever wondered if Only Fools And Horses had any lost episodes (outside the already broadcast 5 to 10 minute mini episodes) which were more than 10 minutes long which were filmed but never transmitted on TV? Or were made specially for other purposes such as educational purposes or just for BBCTV employees? Well there is one, a 1984 episode called''' "Licensed to Drill", which was made especially for schools and released straight onto VHS video. Only Fools fan Laura Daynes found the video and on a fansite, which I was a member of, there was a heated conversation about this lost episode as some did not believe it was there. I watched the video at school in 1992 and in 2003 I left a message on a OFAH fansite guestbook, which the admin posted to a forum and it started that heated debate, until Laura said she has seen the episode. Eventually after Laura posted the script did people believe it. Del Boy thinks a lot of money can be made in the oil industry and buys an oil rig, or so he thinks. This episode featured the last appearance of "Grandad". While it was not an official episode on BBC it was still an episode of Only Fools, made for schools, and it delved into the Trotters lives in 1984, when no new episodes were broadcast on mainstream TV. Synopsis "Grandad" is watching an old film. Del Boy is reading a magazine about oil exploration. He explains to Rodney about how many things come from North Sea Oil. Rodney's deep sea divers watch is still not working. Del says the strap comes from North Sea oil. He tells Grandad to turn over to a documentary all about an oil rig called Maureen. Rodney questions Del as to why he is so interested in oil all of a sudden, branding him a JR Ewing. Del says the Trotters are going to earn out of this and he walks off to his bedroom saying he has a surprise for Rodney in the morning. The following afternoon Rodney gets up late to see a Scottish man sitting down at the table. Rodney asks Del who he is and Del says he is a contact of his. As "Paddy" leaves, Del explains to Rodney and Grandad that he has bought an oil rig for £400 off him. The oil rig is in a lock up garage in Catford, as Del says. Del says they can wait for the big rigs to leave, then Rodney can dive down there and connect it up to their hole, so they will be pumping up oil so they can make lots of money. Rodney cannot believe what Del is saying and Rodney says that oil rigs cost millions and millions of pounds though, and that they are hundreds of miles offshore, not a few hundred yards as Del had thought. Del says they can be seen from the beach but Rodney says they are very tall, as tall as The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Also Rodney says that oil rigs weigh over 100 million tonnes. Rodney says to Del that he has been conned by Paddy. Del then realises that he has been conned and Rodney jumps up to get the keys for the van so they can go after him. But the van is out of petrol as Rodney had forgot to fill it up. Del grabs Rodney by the throat and Grandad tries to stop him. Meanwhile down on the estate, Paddy gets into his car, smoking a cigar and laughing triumphantly before he drives away. Cast '''Main cast *Derek "Del Boy" Trotter - David Jason *Rodney Trotter - Nicholas Lyndhurst *"Grandad" - Lennard Pearce Guest cast *Paddy - Iain Blair Previous Episode Thicker than Water Next Episode Happy Returns Observations *This episode featured the last official appearance of Lennard Pearce as "Grandad". *This episode is set inbetween "Thicker than Water" and "Happy Returns". Maybe the middle of 1984, several months before Grandad was taken into hospital, as mentioned in "Happy Returns". *The exact date of filming is unknown but it was during 1984. Blunders Locations seen *The Trotters flat (living room, kitchen) *Nelson Mandela House exterior (doorway to flats, car park) Category:Only Fools And Horses Episodes. Category:1984 episodes. Category:Episodes not transmitted on BBC1. Category:The Lost Episode of Only Fools And Horses. Category:Rare episodes.